In addition to seeking partnerships with several different hospitals and health institutions for its HealthKit initiative, Apple is also speaking with major U.S. insurance companies like UnitedHealth and Humana.

In a report on rising medical costs and partnerships between insurance providers, corporate employers, and fitness device makers, Bloomberg suggests that Apple has spoken with insurance companies about HealthKit, but no specifics on the conversation were provided.

The focus of the piece, highlighting the insurance perks that companies can offer to employees with healthy habits, implies that Apple may be exploring partnerships that would possibly allow its collected data to be shared with insurance companies and other medical providers.

Quote:

Under the Affordable Care Act, the new national health-care law, companies can spend as much as 30 percent of annual insurance premiums on rewards for healthy behavior.

Technology companies are taking note. Apple Inc., which has new health-tracking software called HealthKit that will be released this year and is said to be developing its own wearable device, has talked with UnitedHealth, the biggest U.S. insurer, and Humana, about its health initiatives, executives at the insurance providers said. The companies wouldn't provide specifics about the conversations. Apple declined to comment.

An example of a partnership between a fitness company, an insurance provider, and a corporation is the agreement between Fitbit and oil company BP. As explained by Bloomberg, BP gave employees the option to wear a Fitbit fitness tracking device to earn points resulting in cheaper health insurance.

Apple's Health app

It is unclear if Apple is in talks about similar programs, but the company has been exploring many different options for its HealthKit initiative. First introduced during WWDC, HealthKit is a set of APIs designed to be incorporated into apps and hardware devices, collecting and aggregating a wealth of health and fitness data into one convenient location.

HealthKit pairs with the newly introduced Health app, which provides an interface for users to view all of this health data. Apple has already announced several partners it is working with on HealthKit, including Nike, the Mayo Clinic, and Epic Systems, a company that deals with electronic health records.

A recent report from Reuters has also suggested Apple is in talks with multiple health providers at Mount Sinai, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and Allscripts, with the company pushing HealthKit and its Health app as an all-in-one patient data resource for medical professionals.

The Health app, built into iOS 8, will be available to the general public as of next month, and the first fitness and health apps and devices will likely introduce support for HealthKit shortly after iOS 8 debuts. The Health app is also said to be heavily tied to Apple's own upcoming wearable, which may measure several different health-related metrics including fitness levels and sleep quality.

Being rewarded in the form of cheaper insurance for being active is great. I'm all for it despite the creepy factor of having such personal information pushed to insurance companies. As long as one can opt in or out, I don't see a problem.

Let's be real. If this turned into price breaks for people that's great but you know they are going to use it to charge people MORE for insurance 5% of people will get discounts 95% will price hikes cause their unhealthy. OPT OUT!

they don't make insurance cheaper, they create fake discounts.
They punish those who don't follow the rules that THEY set up. And they use any possible excuse not to pay when they should.
I eat a french fry, I have an unrelated heart attack... and they can avoid to pay for my cures.

It's very dangerous and intrusive.

and mind you. In 2009 a major insurance company wanted $900 a week (A WEEK!!!) because of a pre-existing condition. That's their mind-set, the last thing you want is for them to know what you do, because whatever you do, it won't be 100% healthy.

I've said it before. To me, this supports the concept of another subsidy play, this time getting others like Insurance companies to chip in on the price Apple wants for this iWatch so that our out-of-pocket price can be lower. Much like iPhone, it allows Apple to get it's full price & margin for iWatch while being able to offer us consumers a cheaper-than expected price.

Why would Apple be interested? iPhone is their best selling, most profitable product. They initially tried getting buyers to pay the full price and ran into a falloff in demand. Then, they switched to the subsidy model and the rest is history.

If I'm them, I want to replicate that "innovation" wherever I can. Where else could I get companies like AT&T, Verizon, etc that might chip in on the price I want for a new product (like iWatch)? One place is very obvious if you watch much television. I bet you can't watch even 3 hours of television without seeing some health-oriented commercial where something tangible is being offered for as little as free* (diabetes testing, various kinds of monitors, and on and on- sound familiar?). Now what makes that stuff free*? Someone else pays for it. Who? Insurance companies and medicare.

I wonder if Apple has found a way to bundle up some of that in this iWatch concept so that Insurance companies and Medicare will subsidize the iWatch? Then, like iPhone, it might be available for as little as free* or seemingly cheap because much-to-all of it's retail price is paid for by Insurance companies or Medicare.

I've posted the concept before and it's generally shot down. But here's Apple trying to strike deals with Insurance companies that probably involve sharing of data. That has negative to very negative connotations. So what's their angle? Why would Apple be doing this? Then, just follow the breadcrumbs.

now that healthcare (in US) cannot deny a person, they have a higher rate...if you are healthy they give you a reduction. this way you aren't penalizing the unhealthy or the strain on the system...you are actually penalizing Everyone UNLESS they are healthy and can prove it.

This happened within the past 6 years with CC companies. they used to put harsher Percentage rates on those that didn't pay. but congress said that was picking on those that didn't pay. so the CC companies jacked up interest rates all around and if you were a good consumer who paid, you can call and get a lower rate but not always the case. so instead of making those that screwed up pay more, you have everyone pay more.

they don't make insurance cheaper, they create fake discounts.
They punish those who don't follow the rules that THEY set up. And they use any possible excuse not to pay when they should.
I eat a french fry, I have an unrelated heart attack... and they can avoid to pay for my cures.

It's very dangerous and intrusive.

and mind you. In 2009 a major insurance company wanted $900 a week (A WEEK!!!) because of a pre-existing condition. That's their mind-set, the last thing you want is for them to know what you do, because whatever you do, it won't be 100% healthy.

add this into the Passbook or possible NFC and they say, right before you had that heart attack, you had a triple espresso at Starbucks...you grabbed fries and a whole pizza, Large soda but your "where are my friends" app said you were alone, as did your twitter/facebook status. I am sorry, but this was self-inflicted myocardial infraction.

Under the Affordable Care Act, the new national health-care law, companies can spend as much as 30 percent of annual insurance premiums on rewards for healthy behavior.

Yeah, like we are going to see one dime of that 30% Insurance companies are experts at not paying for things. If I were Apple I'd stay far away from health insurance companies. They are anti-consumer by their very nature.

Major dislike. Are oyu paying attention Apple employees - a move like this would stop me from buying an i Watch

This is the story of Mr. iWatch. He was a nice guy, blue eyes, and led a beautiful, yet average family life.
His parents, his wife, and his children were very proud of him. His boss found him one of the few trustworthy people he had ever met.
Mr. iWatch was always smiling, and always training, monitoring his health status, health habits and his calorie intake thanks to his smart-wristphone. He trained five days a week, and was fit and muscolar. He went on training for his entire adult life.
But he held a dark secret. He missed training on September 19th, 2015. It was his HIIT day, and for once he wasn't in the mood. He just relaxed, had a coffee with sugar and, for once, a cookie.
Unfortunately, Mr. iWatch died on February 28th, 2045 of heart attack.

Everyone in town was present at his funeral, and the euology was a true celebration of Mr. iWatch's life. Everyone who knew him cried and remembered.
All, except one, Mr. InsHealth, a thin individual with excavated eyes. According to his company records, Mr. iWatch did not respect the "lead a healthy lifestile" clause of his contract. Mr. iWatch missed a training day, the data-mining report was clear.
There, at the local church, with a grin, Mr. InsHealth thought the most pleasant thought of the day, "Mr. iWatch led a healthy lifestile, minus one day."

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Quote:

Originally Posted by bushido

preach it. i had to spent a few days at the hospital a while ago and i got 25€ for every day i had to spent in the hospital bed. paying for health? never heard of such a thing over here

it's truly the only thing I miss about living in Europe.
I had to pay about $15.000 for my son's birth, $2500 for three hours at the ER, and $150 each time I go to the doctor. And I have government insurance.

This is the story of Mr. iWatch. He was a nice guy, blue eyes, and led a beautiful, yet average family life.
His parents, his wife, and his children were very proud of him. His boss found him one of the few trustworthy people he had ever met.
Mr. iWatch was always smiling, and always training, monitoring his health status, health habits and his calorie intake thanks to his smart-wristphone. He trained five days a week, and was fit and muscolar. He went on training for his entire adult life.
But he held a dark secret. He missed training on September 19th, 2015. It was his HIIT day, and for once he wasn't in the mood. He just relaxed, had a coffee with sugar and, for once, a cookie.
Unfortunately, Mr. iWatch died on February 28th, 2045 of heart attack.

Everyone in town was present at his funeral, and the euology was a true celebration of Mr. iWatch's life. Everyone who knew him cried and remembered.
All, except one, Mr. InsHealth, a thin individual with excavated eyes. According to his company records, Mr. iWatch did not respect the "lead a healthy lifestile" clause of his contract. Mr. iWatch missed a training day, the data-mining report was clear.
There, at the local church, with a grin, Mr. InsHealth thought the most pleasant thought of the day, "Mr. iWatch led a healthy lifestile, minus one day."

----------

it's truly the only thing I miss about living in Europe.
I had to pay about $15.000 for my son's birth, $2500 for three hours at the ER, and $150 each time I go to the doctor. And I have government insurance.

holy how does anyone still have babies lol. we used to have to spent 10€ to see a doctor over here but they eventually even dropped that

I get a $500 discount for a 2 minute check at work and a online health/habits survey. If I got a $1000 discount, I would consider this. I think that this could really help motivate people. Imagine it tracking your activity and adding a $$ amount to exercise? Don't feel like getting up to go walk today? Your phone reminds you that the walk saves you $.xx.